Regius Professor of Civil Law (Oxford)
The Regius Chair of Civil Law, founded in the 1540s, is one of the oldest professorships at the University of Oxford.
Foundation
The Regius Chair of Civil Law at Oxford was founded by
The exact date of the chair's foundation is uncertain. Some sources say that John Story, the first professor, was appointed in about 1541.[2] No foundation document survives,[2] but in 1544 Robert Weston was recorded as acting as Story's deputy.[4]
The holder of the Regius Professorship is still chosen by The Crown and is still appointed to teach Roman law, its principles and history, and some other branches of the law.[1]
First Professor
It is uncertain when the first Regius Professor, the Blessed John Story, was first appointed. The History of the University of Oxford says that it was by a signed bill, c. 1541, adding that, together with Robert Weston, Story was reappointed for life by letters patent dated 26 February 1546.[5] Payments to Story as professor of Civil Law are found in the accounts of the Treasurer of the Court of Augmentations for the periods Michaelmas 1546 to Michaelmas 1550, part of 1553, and 1556–1557, and for fees and annuities in issues of the Exchequer for 1553–1557.[6]
Story had a tempestuous career. Elected to parliament in 1547, in 1548 he opposed the anti-Roman Catholic laws of
Story was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886.[7]
Period of decline
Although prestigious, the Regius Chair has not always been effective for teaching purposes. In 1846, a
One of Phillimore's 18th century predecessors,
Modern period
After the death of Phillimore in 1855, the situation improved somewhat. Although the next professor,
Twiss was succeeded in 1870 by
In 1955, the distinguished
Daube was succeeded in 1971 by
In 1988,
After a vacancy of more than a year,
In 2015, Sirks was succeeded by Wolfgang Ernst,[15] whose research focuses on Roman law.[16]
List of Regius Professors of Civil Law
- c. 1541–1557: John Story (for much of that time jointly with Robert Weston and William Aubrey)[3][6][7][17]
- 1546–1553: Robert Weston (jointly with John Story)[17]
- 1553–1559: William Aubrey (for some of that period jointly with John Story)[17]
- 1559–1566: John Griffith[2]
- 1566–1577: Robert Lougher[2]
- 1577–1586: Griffith Lloyd[2]
- 1587–1608: Alberico Gentili[18][19]
- 1611–1620: John Budden[20]
- 1620–1661: Richard Zouch[21]
- 1661–1672: Sir Giles Sweit[22]
- 1672–1712: Thomas Bouchier[23]
- 1712–1736: James Bouchier[23]
- 1736–1752: Henry Brooke[23]
- 1753–1767: Herbert Jenner[23]
- 1767–1789:
- 1789–1796: Thomas Francis Wenman[10]
- 1796–1809: French Laurence[25]
- 1809–1855: Joseph Phillimore (1775–1855)[8]
- 1855–1870: Sir Travers Twiss[11]
- 1870–1893: James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce[26]
- 1893–1919: Henry Goudy,[27] author of the article on "Roman Law" in vol. 23 of the 11th ed. of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1911)
- 1919–1948: Francis de Zulueta[28]
- 1948–1954: Herbert Felix Jolowicz[29]
- 1955–1970: David Daube[30]
- 1971–1988: Tony Honoré[31]
- 1989–2004: Peter Birks[14]
- July 2004 – February 2006: vacant
- 2006–2014: Boudewijn Sirks[1]
- From 1 October 2015: Wolfgang Ernst[32]
See also
- List of Professorships at the University of Oxford
- Regius Professor of Civil Law (Cambridge)
References
- ^ a b c d New Regius Professor of Civil Law Appointed – University of Oxford news release dated 1 December 2005 online at ox.ac.uk (accessed 23 February 2008)
- ^ a b c d e f g Aston, T. H. (ed.), The History of the University of Oxford, Volume III: The Collegiate University, pp. 358–360
- ^ a b Law at Pembroke College online at pmb.ox.ac.uk (accessed 23 February 2008)
- ^ Reg. Cong. 1535–63, fo. 100
- ^ Aston, op. cit. p. 358
- ^ a b Public Record Office: PRO E 323/3, rot. 91, 4, rot 38/39, 5, rot 35/37, 6, rot. 22/24, E 405/499, 507, fo. 75v, 510
- ^ a b c JOHN STOREY online at saints.sqpn.com (accessed 23 February 2008)
- ^ a b Aston, T. H. (ed.), The History of the University of Oxford, Volume VII, Part 2 (Oxford, 1984) p. 395 online at books.google.com (accessed 23 February 2008)
- ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
- ^ a b Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
- ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 493.
- ^ Bryce, James, 1st Viscount in Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition
- ISBN 0-7136-5439-2)
- ^ a b In Memoriam Peter Birks (1941–2004) Archived 2008-02-01 at the Wayback Machine online at ouclf.iuscomp.org (accessed 23 February 2008)
- ^ "Professor Wolfgang Ernst". gov.uk. Retrieved on 2 September 2018.
- ^ "Wolfgang Ernst". Oxford Law Faculty. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ required.)
- ^ Aston, op. cit., pp. 360–361
- ^ English Universities, Schools and Scholarship in the Sixteenth Century : Civil law at the universities at bartleby.com (accessed 22 February 2008)
- ^ Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
- ^ Richard Zouche at britannica.com (accessed 22 February 2008)
- ^ The Oxford University Calendar: 1833 - Corrected to December 31, 1832; J. Parker and H. Slatter, Oxford; Page 35;
- ^ a b c d (1766) A pocket companion for Oxford or Guide through the University; Blenheim, Ditchley, and Stow; auf Google Books; p. 106.
- ^ Robert Vansittart at berkshirehistory.com (accessed 22 February 2008)
- ^ Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
- ^ Papers of James, Viscount Bryce, 1826–1958 at archiveshub.ac.uk (accessed 23 February 2008)
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 31 (12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company. p. 299. .
- ^ British Academy Fellows Archive : Record for: de ZULUETA, Professor F at britac.ac.uk (accessed 23 February 2008)
- ^ "Herbert Felix Jolowicz". Jewish Virtual Library. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ Obituary of David Daube at law.berkeley.edu (accessed 22 February 2008)
- ^ British Academy Fellows Archive : Record for HONORÉ, Professor A M, QC at britac.ac.uk (accessed 22 February 2008)
- ^ "Appointments: Social Sciences". Oxford University Gazette. 145 (5083). University of Oxford: 257. 22 January 2015.